Latest AI News

Meta AI Tests Shopping Assistant Feature for US Users

Meta is piloting a shopping research tool inside its Meta AI chatbot for a limited group of U.S. users accessing the service through a web browser. The feature presents a carousel of product images, brand names, prices and merchant links when users ask for recommendations, and tailors suggestions using location data and inferred gender. The move puts Meta in direct competition with other AI chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, which are also integrating shopping capabilities and checkout options. Meta has not disclosed whether it earns commissions from the merchant links or gives priority to its own advertisers.

Anthropic Gives Claude Free Users Conversational Memory

Anthropic has expanded Claude's memory feature to all users, allowing the AI assistant to retain details across conversations without a subscription. The upgrade lets the model recall preferences, ongoing projects, and prior inputs, reducing the need for repeated explanations. Users can pause or delete memories at any time. The move positions Claude alongside competitors like ChatGPT and Gemini, which also offer memory and personalization, and follows recent free releases of file creation, Connectors, and customizable Skills. The enhancement has contributed to Claude’s rise in the U.S. App Store’s free charts.

Claude Adds AI Memory Feature to Free Tier, Boosting Contextual Chat Capabilities

Anthropic's Claude chatbot is expanding its free offering by adding the AI memory feature that was previously limited to paid plans. The update lets users reference past conversations for more context‑aware responses and even import chat histories from other AI services. The move comes as Claude enjoys a surge in popularity, topping US app charts and ranking among the top‑10 productivity apps in many countries. Additional free‑tier enhancements include app connectors, file creation, workflow skills, longer chats, and image search, positioning Claude as a stronger competitor in the AI chatbot market.

OpenAI to Amend Defense Deal, Barring Domestic Surveillance Use of Its AI

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company will revise its contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to explicitly forbid the use of its artificial‑intelligence system for mass surveillance of Americans. In an internal memo shared on X, Altman detailed new language tying the restriction to the Fourth Amendment and other applicable laws, and said he would prefer jail over complying with an unlawful order. The move follows a broader government debate over AI guardrails, pressure on rival Anthropic to drop safeguards, and a recent surge in Anthropic’s popularity after the policy shift.

ChatGPT App Uninstalls Surge After DoD Partnership, Anthropic Claude Downloads Jump

U.S. users removed the ChatGPT mobile app at a dramatically higher rate following OpenAI's announced partnership with the Department of Defense, while Anthropic's Claude saw a sharp increase in downloads after the company publicly declined a similar deal. Market‑intelligence data show a 295% day‑over‑day rise in ChatGPT uninstalls and a 37% to 51% boost in Claude downloads, reflecting strong consumer reactions to the contrasting stances on defense collaboration.

OpenAI Faces Scrutiny Over Pentagon Contract and Industry Tensions

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman fielded public questions on X after the company accepted a Pentagon contract that Anthropic had declined. Users and employees raised concerns about the firm’s involvement in surveillance and autonomous weaponry, while Altman emphasized deference to democratic institutions. The episode highlighted OpenAI’s shift from a consumer startup to a component of national‑security infrastructure and exposed its limited preparedness for the accompanying political and operational pressures. Simultaneously, the Department of Defense’s threat to label Anthropic a supply‑chain risk intensified industry anxieties about government contracts and regulatory scrutiny.